braun



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

M. BRAUN.

HARMONICA.

Paflsented Nov. 6, 1888.

BY MQWQATTYS.

UNITED STATES ATFNT MAX BRAUN, or NEWARK, new JERSEY.

i-iARNiONlCA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,405, dated November 6, 1888.

Application filed January 31, 1888.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, llIAX Bnxnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyed Mouth-Harmonicas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of musical instruments in which the power for giving sound to the reeds is obtained from the mouth, whereby the power is more perfectly controlled and musical effects are obtained which cannot be secured by means of a bellows or other more mechanical sources of power.

The invention consists in the arrangements and combinations of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is atop plan of the improved instrument, and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a sectional view of the instrument, taken on line X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section taken through line Y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan of a certain elastic diaphragm used in connection with an air chest or chamber, a, forming part of the device. Fig. 6 is a plan of a certain casting in detail, which is used in connection with or forming a part of a key of the instrument. Fig. 7 is a side view of the same, and Fig. 8 is asectional view on line Z. Figs. 9 and 1.0 are perspective views of pieces adapted to be inserted in the air-chamber and one of which serves as a bed for the keys, and Fig. 11 is a plan of a reed.

In said drawings, a indicates a case, frame, or bed. 11 Z) are the keys, arranged therein after the general plan of the keys of a piano or organ, the same being arranged on fulcrunial bearings 0, Figs. 2 and 3, preferably consisting of a longitudinal strip which extends from one end of the case to the other, said keys be ing held down thereon by a spring, (I, which Serial No.262,551. (Xomodeh) may be a rubber band or ring, as shown in Fig. 3, or, and preferably, a spiral wire spring at the outer end of the keys. The outer movements of the keys when depressed by the fingers are limited by the bearings e 0, which are also preferably a strip which extends longitudinally through the case, the said bearing being provided with cushions/"f, by means of which the sound caused by impact is prevented. a

At or near the end of the keys Z) are metallic extensions 9, upon which the reeds 7L have bearings, the said extensions being cast from suitable material-such as metal or other hard material-but prefcrabl y of metal. The upper part of the metallic extensions or parts 9 may be recessed, as indicated in Fig. 3, to provide a seat for the reeds. The latter may be removably adjusted therein, being held in place by the screw i, although it may be permanently secured in place. Below said reeds within the said extensions 9 is formed a chamber, j, which conveys the air from the air-chest of the reed-tongue, which vibrates under the influence of said air to produce musical sounds in the ordinary manner. The said extensions 9 have an outward projection, 7., Figs. 3, 7, and S, and through the same extends an air-passage, Z, which communicates with the chamber j. The said outward projection is preferably tubular in shape, as shown, and said projection passes through a rubber or other elastic diaphragm, m, and an air chamber or box.

The air-chamber is formed of wood or, and preferably, of sheet metalsuch as tininclosed or boxed in wood. The said airchan1- ber extends longitudinally through the case from one end to the other and lies beneath the inner ends of the keys or extensions 9 thereof. The upper side of the box is inclosed from end to end with a rubber or elastic diaphragm, m above referred to, the said rubber or elastic diaphragm being cemented to the sides of said box, so as to prevent the escape of air from the air-chambe it within said box. By forming the chamber of tin the same is prevented from corroding or being otherwise damaged by the moisture from the lungs of the player when the same condenses therein.

The diaphragm is provided, preferably at about the center thereof, with a longitudinal series of perforations, 0 0, Fig. 5, of about the size or smaller than the proj cction 7c of the keys, so that when said projections are formed through the same the elastic partition thereby closely hugs the said projections and moves therewith as the said projection moves vertically under the influence of the fingers without allowing the escape of air at the joints. lclow the diaphragm, extending longitudinally through the air-chamber, is a seat, 1), upon which the extensions it: find bearings when drawn down by the spring (I. The upper side of said seat is cushioned, first by a thickness of felt and then on the top by a thickness of leather,

referably sheep-skin,against which the tubuar extension ]tl bears. The passage Z therein is thus closed, so that the air from the chamber is prevented from entering the chamber 3' and causing the tongue of'the reed to vibrate.

\Vhen the keys bare depressed by the fingers, the extensions or tubes k are raised from engagement with the seat or bed 1), the passages lare open, and the air from the air-chambera is allowed to pass upward through the passage Z and chamber j and to vibrate the tongue of the reed, so that musical sounds are produced.

At the sides of the air-chamber or the metal casing forming the same is formed a passage, g, which extends longitudinally along the said casing and is provided with openings 1'1" at the opposite ends of the chamber a, and at or near the center of said passage (1 the same, as at s, communicates with a tube or duct, t,which is or a part of which is of rubber or other flexible tubing of sufficient length to allow the same to be raised to the mouth of the player. At the outer extremities of said tubing i the same is or may be provided with a mouth-piece, a, and as the player blows into the mouth-piece a the air passes through the tube t into the passage q, where it is divided and passes into the opposite ends of the chamber a. By forcing air into the opposite ends of the air-chamber, as described, I am enabled to cause both the keys of the high notes and the keys of the low notes to speak or vibrate simultaneously.

The extensions g may have and preferably do have integral therewith suitable formations to engage with the fulcrumal bearing 0 or with a pivotal wire, 1*, disposed on the top thereof, the said formation being marked in in Fig. 7 and being adapted to prevent the keys from moving inward or toward the air-box in said casing. The said fulcrnmal bearings are also provided with pins 2, which are adapted to engage perforations or recesses 3 in the ex tension and prevent said keys from moving sidewise on their bearings.

The case a is or maybe provided with a piece, 4-, which may be cushioned, as at 5, the said bearing 5 serving as a stop for the keys and forming with the rear portion, a, of the case a a longitudinal chamber, a which is closed by a hinged door or cover, a. The strip 4 may be removed, it being simply held in receptacles or bearings at the ends of the case a, and when removed the keys may be readily withdrawn or removed bysiinply dis connecting the springs (Z from their bearings.

The interior of the box forming the chamber a may be and preferably is varnished to prevent any injurious effects of moisture, and the parts 1) arranged within the air-chamber may likewise be varnished to prevent the aforesaid effects from moisture.

I may provide a valve or opening, 6, at or near the bottom of the chamber a to allow the escape of any condensed moisture should the same accumulate in said chamber.

The construction of the bearingp is shown more clearly in Figs. 9 and 10, in which end pieces, p, are suitably mortised to receive the longitudinal bearings p,the said end pieces ex tending across the box and the bearing 9) lying in the middle of the chamber. The said end pieces are provided with cushions 7 on the under side to deadcn any sound produced when operating the keys.

Having thus described the invention,what I claim as new is- 1. In a musical instrument, the combination, with a series of keys, I), having reeds thereon, of an air-chamber and flexible tube connected therewith and adapted to carry the air from the mouth of the player to said air-chamber, said parts being arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a reed instrument, the combination, with a series of keys having reeds thereon and moving therewith, of an air-box having a flexible diaphragm adapted to close around the portion of the reed having the air-passage to allow of the movement of the reed and pre vent the escape of air excepting through said air-passage, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination,with a case having a fulerumal bearing, 0, and stops 6, of keys 1), disposed on said frucrumal bearing and provided with an extension, g, having reeds h, and an air-chamber provided with a perforated and flexible diaphragm, m, adapted to receive the said extensions, and a seat, p,arranged within the said chamber a and adapted to close the air-passage through the extension g, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

41-. In combination, a case, a, keys 7), arranged on a fulerumal bearing, 0, springs d, extensions 9, having air-chambersj and reeds h, a metallic box having an air-chamber, a, there in, a seat, 1), and a suitable duct for conveying the air to said chamber, all said parts be ing arranged and combined to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination, a case, a, keys 5, having reeds therein and a projection, K1, the said extensions being provided with suitable air-passages, and a chamber, a, covered by a perforated diaphragm, l, and having thereon a seat, p, providing a bearing for said keys, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination, a case, a, keys I), having reeds therein, and a projection, 70, the said IIO projection being provided with suitable airpassages, and a chamber, a, covered by a perforated diaphragm, 7;, and having thereon a seat, 1), providing bearings for said keys, and a spring, d, for holding the said extension down upon said seat, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, with keys and an airehamber, or, arranged and (Bo-operative therewith, substantially as set forth, of an air-passage, g, arranged at the sides of said chamber a and provided with openings from said passage to said chamber at the opposite ends of said chamber, and a duet, such as a tube, t, leading into said passage q, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In amusical instrumentsubstantially such as described, the combination, with keys I), having reeds and passages for air to said reeds, of an air box or chamber having a perforated diaphragm, m, and a seat, said seat being provided with suitable cushions and adapted to close the'air-passage formed in said keys, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a musical instrument, a series of keys having thereon reeds hand means for conveying air to said reeds for vibrating the tongues therein, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a musical instrument, a reed and a key, the two being connected, the said reed being opened to allow the passage of air there through by the depression of said key, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

11. In combination with a case, a, having a suitable fulcrumal bearing therein, a series of keys disposed upon said bearing, said keys being provided with reeds h, an air-passage to said reeds, and an air-chamber connecting with said airpassages in said keys, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In combination with keys Z) of a musical instrument and extensions 9 thereof, reeds 71, removable from said extensions, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. In a musical instrument, the improved key herein described, having a cast-metal extension, g, providing fulcruinal bearings, an air-passage, and a reed arranged thereon, all said parts being arranged and combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14. In a musical instrument, the combination, with a series of keys having reeds arranged thereon and having passages therein leading to said reeds. of an ainchambcr provided with a rubber diaphragm and a seat for said keys within said chamber, the said keys extending or projecting through said diaphragm to said seat in, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of January, 1888.

\Vitnesses:

OImRLEs ll. PELL, Oscar: A. hITCHEL. 

